Bewildered by the internet-connected gifts kids yearn for?

Guidelines for giving safe tech gifts – all summed up in a free checklist you can take shopping

Parental control info so you can set up and safeguard tech gifts before you give them

Ideas for some fun top-rated screen-free gifts for kids!

Commit to choosing no-regret gifts

So many toys and gifts for kids today have major sizzle and wow factors coming from internet-connected technology. The most popular connected tech gifts are smartphones, tablets, video games, gaming systems, and the latest to hit the mainstream: virtual reality. There are also many toys now that connect to the internet or are controlled by a smartphone app.

All that connection comes along with possible encounters with bad content or people with dangerous intentions. No amount of excitement on Christmas morning can make up for a child’s trauma or diversion into damaging behavior later.

You don’t have to be caught off guard, realizing only later the problems that slipped in with that brightly wrapped present.

Keep this guide close by while holiday shopping

Guidelines for giving safe tech gifts

Get crystal-clear on possible risks before buying the gift.

Be honest – is this gift right for your child’s age and stage?

Be prepared with parental controls before you buy.

The secret to success: Plan out the rules and consequences.

Set up first, wrap later!

Happy kids? This is the moment to get buy-in on the rules!

Show up as the mentor your kids need – with tech and with life.

And don’t forget another important rule: enjoy a peaceful holiday knowing you are a great parent!

Read on to learn more about these guidelines – and don’t forget to download the list at the end of this post!

Get crystal-clear on possible risks before buying the gift.

So your kids are wishing for a shiny new device?

Remember – tablets, phones, and laptops are not toys, they are powerful communication devices that link your child to the world. Gaming systems can connect kids with people they don’t know. And VR (virtual reality) is a whole new level of digital immersion!

Other new toys don’t connect to the internet themselves, but require a smartphone app to operate them.

For more help, get our free guide: Is My Child Ready for a Smartphone?

In some cases, you could consider giving the gift of access instead of actually owning the tech. KJ Dell’Antonia, a parenting blogger for the New York Times, suggests a family iPad. And many families have parent-controlled family phones that kids can check out with permission.

Be prepared with parental controls before you buy

Some devices and toys have built-in parental controls, and others have nothing. Do your detective work – when you know how easy (or confusing) controls will be to set up and manage, you’re ready to shop with confidence!

The two most important things about parental controls:

Parental controls are an absolutely essential piece of protecting your children. They reduce the amount of risky content and contact kids will be exposed to, and often help you see what is going on.

Common Sense Media game reviews Great starting resource to get an idea of what is in the game, including parents and kids opinions. Use your own judgment as to whether the game fits your family’s values.

VR has amazing potential, but our own recommendation is to steer clear of bringing VR into your home as a regular activity for kids. There’s no definitive evidence yet that VR does OR doesn’t harm children’s development. Researchers say there’s a lot they don’t know yet.

Set up first, wrap later

Open the gift, get familiar with how it works, and set up parental controls before you wrap it up.

One hour spent now means your kids can enjoy their gift right away on Christmas.

It means you can relax on the holiday knowing you are doing your best to protect your kids.

Even better, it can save you hours (maybe even years) of anguish if your kids have harmful experiences with the new technology.

Because it will be much easier to do now than later. So just sit down with those directions, charge it up and get it going. You might even have fun trying it out yourself!

This is the moment to get buy-in

The long wait is over and your child is over the moon with their new surprise!

Guess what – you have their attention! They will do anything to be free to use their new gift, so now is the time to introduce the responsibilities that come with such a grown-up device.

Let them know you trust them – that’s why you decided to give them this gift. However, you just don’t trust some people online, and you want them to be safe.

Show up as the mentor your kids need – with tech and life

Ok, honestly that first talk about the rules happened when everyone was feeling a little tired, over-excited, and queasy from holiday treats.

Now you show your kids that you really do care and really are going to follow up on the rules and consequences.

Be interested in hearing how they are using their gift, what they enjoy and what is giving them trouble. Sit down and have them share it with you. Look for teaching opportunities about making good choices online.

Hold kids accountable for the rules and follow through with consequences when needed. It’s good for them, really.

We made it easy for you to keep these guidelines close as you make your holiday gift plans! Just get your free guide here –

Unplugged Christmas gifts

So now for the fun part! Here are some top-rated ideas for screen-free gifts! Building motor skills, expressing creativity and developing relationships are just side effects of the fun.

(Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning that at no extra cost to you, Protect Young Minds will earn a small referral fee if you click through and make a purchase. We appreciate your support of our cause!)

Books

Ok, we’re biased on this one – we think every child deserves to learn from their parents how to be safe online! Our read-together books are an easy, comfortable way to help kids be ready to reject pornography. They make great gifts for parents and professionals who work with kids.

Yarn Unicorn Craft Kit – Age 8+
Wrap your way to two adorable unicorns with this magical crafting kit from Uncommon Goods.

Design Your Own Slime Kit – Age 8+
Tactile and colorful, this kit lets you add glow, sparkle, and metallizer special effects to give your custom putties even more pizzazz. From Uncommon Goods.

Kid’s board games for fun and skill-building

First Orchard Game from HABA – Age 2-5
Working as a team, the children try to pick the fruits from the trees before the raven reaches the end of the path. Suitable for 1-4 players ages 2+

Race to the Treasure from Peaceable Kingdom – Age 5+
Build a path with your team and collect 3 keys on a race to beat ogre to the treasure! It’s a game where everyone plays together, no one is left out, and everybody has fun! 2-4 players

IceCool from Brain Games – Age 6+
Penguins are running through the school in the first flicking game ever to have pieces which curve and jump! 2-4 players.

Sushi Go Card Game from Gamewright – Age 8+
Pass the sushi! In this fast-playing card game, the goal is to grab the best combination of sushi dishes as they whiz by. 2-5 players.

Games the whole family will enjoy together

Dixit by Asmodee – Age 8+
A lighthearted game of storytelling and guesswork where your imagination unlocks the tale.
3 – 6 players

Karuba from HABA – Age 8+
Lay your tiles on a grid to form paths in a fast-paced strategy game, racing against other players to snag the loot first. Every game plays differently! 2-4 players

So that’s it! We wish you the merriest of holidays and a safe and happy year ahead!

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Vauna Davis is happy to be working with Protect Young Minds as the Outreach and Education Coordinator. She has been involved in the cause opposing pornography for many years. She is founder and director of Reach 10, a nonprofit that empowers young adults to speak, teach, and lead on the issue of pornography. She serves as chair for The Safeguard Alliance of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, and is former director of Utah Coalition Against Pornography. She received an MA in Communications from BYU and lives with her husband, Michael, in Springville, Utah. They enjoy spending time with their grown-up children and grandkids. She loves yardwork - it gets her away from her desk!

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Led by Kristen A. Jenson, author of the best-selling children’s book Good Pictures Bad Pictures, Protect Young Minds™ (PYM) seeks to help parents “porn-proof” their kids before they come across highly addictive and easily accessible internet pornography.